Bio
Alexandra Treviño is a recovering high school English teacher turned agented author. She is represented by Nacole Stayton at Two Daisy Media. Alexandra attended Texas A&M University, where she studied English with a concentration in Composition and Rhetoric. She lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs.
Alexandra writes sad girl romantasy with horror elements. Her stories weave the darkness of our world into her haunted protagonists. Her work explores concepts such as mental health, disability representation, and how grief and trauma manifest as ghosts of our own.
When she is not reading or writing, she is attending concerts and plays, traveling somewhere new, or herding her two German Shepherds (who are, of course, named after fictional characters). You can usually find her buried somewhere between the words of her draft, likely dressed in black.
Manuscript
Wishlist
(MSWL)
I’m a fantasy lover at heart, and I crave stories with stunning prose and lush world-building. Voice truly carries me through a book, so I appreciate when authors (and characters) have powerful voices that are unmistakable and firm. I’d also love to see stories from authors from underrepresented and diverse backgrounds.
-
I love to read genre-blending stories with compelling hooks that can fit somewhere and nowhere at the same time. Cross-genre stories that can convert readers to a new genre that they rarely explore catch my attention easily!
-
Prose is such an important aspect for me to enjoy a book. If you have rich, lyrical prose, and have crafted a world that feels lived in, then chances are I’ll enjoy it!
-
Character driven plots are my favorite types of reads. I adore layered stories with strong leads who are going through an emotional journey of change and growth.
-
I also find it equally important for romantic interests/opposite leads to have their own emotional journey to trudge through. I find it important that these characters can stand on their own in the story and aren’t just there for the convenience of the protagonist’s arc.
-
Romance wise, I love a good slow burn paired with emotional yearning. I love a romance that is earned through lessons, sacrifices, and personal development. I’d love to see characters that can ONLY be together once they’ve conquered their wounds. I would like to see two leads who can’t have what they want, because they don’t think they can have it, or because the world is literally keeping them apart.
-
For leads, I love a wounded or haunted (literal or metaphorical) protagonist. I love when a lead is overcoming something and is taking agency in the story. I adore a good “soft” lead. I believe there is strength in feeling deeply, wielding wit, and embracing empathy just as much as there is in combat and fighting!
RANDOM THINGS I’D LOVE TO SEE: (if you don’t have one or more of these, that’s okay! I’d still love to see your work.)
-
fantasy based on Mexican folklore
-
romantasy with horror elements
-
unique magic systems with a cost (I prefer soft magic systems)
-
mental health & disability representation (written responsibly, of course)
-
protagonists who are artists
-
soft characters who feel deeply
-
dark academia, gothic romance, horror romance, any sort of genre-blending with romance.
-
Gothic works that actually reflect the genre, not just vibes!
-
found family where everyone has a unique role
COMPS & TROPES I’D LOVE TO SEE:
-
anything with Mike Flanagan vibes. If you have one of his shows or films as a comp, I’d love to read it!
-
if your book feels/sounds like: a Hozier album, an Ethel Cain concert, a Paris Paloma rage track, or a Hadestown medley—I need it desperately!
-
anything comped to Rebecca Ross, Rachel Gillig, CG Drews, or Ava Reid
-
characters who haunt the narrative (Lucy Gray, the Lady in the Lake, Rebecca de Winter, etc.)
NOT A GOOD FIT FOR:
-
any story where the dog dies (or any animal, for that matter)
Mentoring Style
I’m a former teacher, so I definitely know how to encourage and give advice with care and attention! At the end of the day, all my advice is a recommendation, and you can pick and choose what you implement. I am open to communicating in any way that works best for us and our time.
While reviewing your story, I will definitely leave you in-line comments hyping up your manuscript! On a larger scale, I love to work on developmental edits, character arcs, story beats, and just overall revisions based on your work.
I also find it so fun to work on query packages! I love working on pitches and queries, and I'm eager to guide you through the querying journey.
Overall, I want my mentee to feel comfortable asking questions. Even if I don’t know the answer right away, I will always do my best to find out for you. I am also here as a sounding board for your ideas, or if you just need a phone call to vent!
Applications
from Connections
If we’ve interacted online, or are mutuals online, you are welcome to submit! However, mentors cannot work with any mentees that they know personally. So, if we’ve had extensive online conversations about your work, or if we know each other in-person, feel free to submit to another mentor!